Covid Passes Needed For Cinemas In Wales In The UK

Cineworld-cinema-in-South-Ruislip-London vaccine passports cinema

It’s been revealed that people living in Wales in the UK will have to show COVID passes if they want to go and watch a movie at the cinema.

It was only this time last year there were rumours of Covid Passes being introduced in cinemas in England, we’ve already seen similar schemes in countries around Europe such as France.

In order to gain entry to public venues such as cafes, restaurants, theatres, cinemas a valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative testing must be shown.

Now it’s the law in Wales.

Welsh politicians voted recently to expand their current Covid pass scheme and from November 15th, anyone visiting a Cinema will have to show the following:

Two vaccine doses or a negative lateral flow test will be needed in order to gain entry.

The ruling was given widespread opposition from other Senedd members citing reasoning such as the inequality and effectuates of the actual measures.

Will Cinema COVID passes help to Keep Businesses Open?

Read more: Hollywood Prepares For Further European Cinema Anguish Following Governments’ New Restrictions

However, the Welsh health minister went another step further, Eluned Morgan, stating “The NHS COVID Pass is one measure among many to help to keep businesses open while also helping to control the spread of the virus.”

Here she seems to suggest that without this pass, businesses would have been forced to shut down, but with the current vaccination rates, booster roll out and cases dropping since last month, is this not an unnecessary measure?

When no cases have been attributed back to Cinemas (some of which have been open as soon as they could during the past 18 months), is it likely any spread would be caused?

Is this Illogical?

vue cinemas

Credit: Vue cinemas

Read more: Cinemas In Wales To Shut Down In New Lockdown

The UK Cinema Association CEO, Phil Clapp back in October when this was first announced as a possibility, had stated these passes were “potentially hugely damaging” and “illogical”.

When the box office is riding the wave of the revenue and audience numbers (even in its 6th week) from James Bond and No Time To Die, not to mention Marvel’s Eternals the question is what effect this will have on the industry in Wales.

Not to mention how will staff be affected from now having to deal with such a highly contentious issue that divides people as we’ve seen sometimes to a very confrontational & aggressive manner.

There have also been rumblings that Scotland could bring in a similar measure but so far these haven’t come to fruition.

What are your thoughts on the move?

Should vaccine passports be introduced for Cinemas across the UK?

Or is Wales going too far in an unnecessary manoeuvre?

Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.


 

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